What a great group of students! I feel extremely fortunate to have such a terrific group of
young adults to work with! Please let me know if you ever have any questions/concerns.
Check the "Grades" section of this website to see your/your student's individual grade report.
If a student is absent, they should also be sure to read the section of the chapter
we're studying in addition to making up the homework missed (for instance, we're
studying ch. 8 "Creating the Constitution" [Constitutional History] in all of the Social Studies
classes; in English classes we're in the middle of the research process for our Americana
Research Paper and monologue). Since class discussions are missed when a student is
absent, it is important to be sure to get the all of the information. Students are welcome
to come in at lunch (Tuesdays or Thursdays, or any other day if they arrange with me)
to get extra help.
Late work is accepted during the current unit of study and is worth up to 1/2
credit. No late work is accepted for the current unit after the final unit
test. Be sure to complete assignments on time in order to be able to earn
full credit. Students need to keep all of their work.
U.S. History (College Prep & GATE): Every student is required to maintain and
update their "U.S. History Packets". Packets will be collected and graded
approximately every 2-3 weeks and will need to have a Table of Contents page
stapled to the front. Our current unit is ch. 8 "Creating the Constitution" (Constitutional
History). We're learning about the Articles of Confederation, the influences on the
Framers (such as Enlightenment thinking), the Constitutional Convention, and the
compromises that went into creating the Constitution of the United States. Our next
test is on Thursday, December 17th (and our Ch. 8 packet of work will be due on that
day as well). GATE classes can still audition for Americana speeches on Mon. 12/14 at
lunch. Monologues for Americana will be presented Wed. 12/16 and Thur. 12/17 in
English 8G classes. Americana final grades (on the final draft research paper & the
performance grade) will count for BOTH English and History grades.
English 8 GATE: Every student is required to maintain an "English
Notebook"(9x11 spiral bound, 100 pages, 1 per semester) which will be
collected and graded approximately every 2-3 weeks. GATE students are
required to read at least 2,000 pages each semester (and read a variety of
genres) and complete 2 book projects each semester. We're finishing up Americana
research. The Research Paper Final Draft was due on Thursday, December 10th.
Auditions for Americana speeches will be on Mon. 12/14 at lunch. The 150-200
word Americana monologue will be presented in English classes on Wed.
December 16th and Thur. December 17th. Americana final grades (on the final
draft research paper & the performance grade) will count for BOTH English and
History grades.
Americana Performances (for GATE History and GATE English) will be on
Thursday, Feb. 4th and Friday, Feb. 5th. (Please see the "Calendar" section of this
website for more dates.) We have a mandatory dress rehearsal all day Sat. Jan. 30th.
There will be other rehearsals during the Saturdays in January and once a week.
Students will be researching a historical era/group/person. The 3-4 page (typed)
research paper final draft was due Thur. 12/10/09; the monologue that students will
write is due on Wed. 12/16 & will be performed 12/16 or 12/17 in English classes.
Help is available to students before school and during lunch ("officially" on Tuesdays
and Thursday in room Q-4). I'm also available to help other days/times if
students arrange in advance with me.
If there are ever any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to
contact me at 967-4506 ext. 204 or cstevens@lacolinajhs.org.